What does faunae mean?
Faunae is the plural of 'fauna', a term denoting the animals characteristic of a particular region, habitat, or period in Earth's history. While 'fauna' usually functions as a collective noun — as in 'the fauna of the Arctic tundra' — the plural 'faunae' appears mainly in scientific writing that contrasts the animal life of two or more places or eras, such as comparing the faunae of neighbouring islands. An anglicized plural, 'faunas', is equally acceptable. The word traces back to Latin: Fauna was a Roman goddess associated with the countryside and fertility, counterpart to the god Faunus, and her name was adopted by naturalists alongside 'flora', the goddess of flowers, which denotes plant life. Because of this classical pedigree, 'fauna' and 'flora' are conventionally paired in ecological and palaeontological literature. 'Faunae' is a formal, scholarly word; in ordinary conversation, speakers overwhelmingly say 'wildlife' or simply 'animals'.
nounFaunae is the plural of 'fauna', referring to the animal life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. It is used chiefly in scientific and formal writing when treating the animal life of multiple distinct regions or periods separately.
- The collective animal life of a specified region, environment, or geological period (plural of fauna).
"The expedition documented the faunae of both islands, revealing striking differences between them."
"Comparing the faunae of the Galápagos and mainland Ecuador reveals how isolation drives evolution."
"Fossil beds preserve the faunae of successive Ice Age epochs."
'Faunae' is the Latinate plural; 'faunas' is the anglicized plural and is equally standard in modern usage. Both are used only when contrasting distinct animal populations.
"The book surveys the faunae of five continents."
Faunae comes from Fauna, the Roman goddess of fertility and the countryside — sister and consort of the horned god Faunus — making every field guide a quiet tribute to her.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of faunae
Faunae is the plural of 'fauna', a New Latin coinage adopted by naturalists in the 18th century from the name of the Roman goddess Fauna, a rural deity associated with fertility and the countryside and linked to the prophetic god Faunus. The pairing with 'flora', from the Roman flower goddess, established a lasting convention in natural history writing. English derivatives from the same root include 'faun', the mythological goat-like woodland creature, and the adjective 'faunal'.
Related word forms
How faunae is actually used
'Faunae' is the Latinate plural of 'fauna'; however, 'faunas' is also fully accepted in modern English. In practice, many writers treat 'fauna' as an uncountable collective ('the fauna of Australia'), reserving plural forms for contrasting several distinct regions or time periods. The term belongs to formal, academic registers — ecology, biogeography, palaeontology — and would sound stilted in everyday speech, where 'wildlife' or 'animals' is preferred.
Easily confused with faunae
Flora refers to the plant life of a region, whereas faunae refers to animal life; the two are often paired in ecological writing.